Editor’s Note: This story went to press at the end of April should any changes occur after that.

It’s a race for the California governorship unlike any other in recent memory. Six Democrats and two Republicans will appear on the ballot for the primary election June 2. The race shifted to near chaos in April when the San Francisco Chronicle reported that several women accused Democratic frontrunner Eric Swalwell of rape and sexual misconduct. Swalwell suspended his campaign after all major endorsements were rescinded, and he resigned from Congress. While several candidates sit near the top, as of late April, no dominant frontrunner has emerged among the crowd.

“This is the first time in nearly three decades it’s been a wide-open race,” says Steven Maviglio, a political consultant from Sacramento. “The field is filled with virtual unknowns statewide, and with the exception of one, not very well financed.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gavin Newsom emerged as the top contenders early on in their successful campaigns. It’s a different situation this time around. Gov. Newsom is ineligible to run after serving two four-year terms. This year, he’s been on a nationwide tour promoting his book “Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery.” He attended the World Economic Forum in Davos amid widespread speculation of a 2028 presidential run.

His successor will inherit a roughly $3 billion budget deficit. (That’s the figure from the Newsom administration. The Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates the deficit at $18 billion.) Maviglio says that deterred some would-be candidates, but the greater impact was widespread speculation on high-profile office seekers.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, fresh off her failed presidential run, was widely expected to enter the California governor’s race.

“That basically froze the field for months. Candidates couldn’t fundraise. They really couldn’t get support. Everybody put off their endorsements,” Maviglio says. “So the whole election was a slow-mo movie for a while because there wasn’t a clear path for anyone.”

Harris declined to run, and so did California’s U.S. senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, as well as state Attorney General Rob Bonta. Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, whom Maviglio says some saw as Newsom’s successor, withdrew early from the race. Former state Controller Betty Yee also withdrew from the race in April. Democrats failed to endorse a single candidate at the party’s February convention. Politics can be unpredictable. It’s currently unlikely for a Republican gubernatorial candidate to prevail in a one-on-one with a Democrat in a heavy blue state.

But with so many Democrats in the race, there’s real potential for vote splitting, leading to a final battle between two Republicans. Unlike in other states where separate party primaries lead to the top Democrat and Republican facing off in the general election, in California, it’s a single free-for-all where the top two advance in what’s dubbed a “jungle primary” in political parlance. So there’s real pressure from Newsom’s party to rally behind a winner.

The main issue that has emerged in this election appears to be affordability, according to Tim Rosales, a Republican political consultant from Sacramento. How do we bring down the cost of living? Generally, this is seen as building more housing and cutting electricity rates and gas prices. All the candidates are tackling this issue in various, nuanced ways. “But there’s really no one who has cut through on a particular part of that affordability issue or any other issue,” Rosales says.

It’s tough to get public attention in a crowded field and stand out, especially when their messages are too similar. “What California voters want is some real, clear, actionable plans or even a demonstration of results. And to date, no candidates are really offering that substantively,” Rosales says.

Candidates will drop out once they run out of money, fail to get included in debates or fail to land key endorsements. Until then, the election is unpredictable. Even among Republicans, there’s no clear frontrunner. “Voters are having a hard time differentiating, really, who is at the end of the day going to, in their minds, make California better,” Rosales says.

Latino GOP political strategist Mike Madrid said in an X post that voters are just starting to tune in. He said it was wrong for California Democratic party leaders to try and force low ranking candidates to drop out because it turned out former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, who had been polling low, surged to the top after Swalwell dropped out. “Many Dem voters feel like the establishment picked the last frontrunner and it blew up on them,” Madrid said.

Here’s a rundown of the candidates, listed alphabetically.

Xavier Becerra

Democrat Becerra, 68, an attorney, served as the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services during the Biden administration. Before that, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives and then worked as California attorney general. In that position, he filed over 100 lawsuits against the first Trump administration. Becerra attended C.K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento. Last year, he gained national attention when news broke that a dormant campaign account held by Becerra was allegedly used to steal $225,000. Becerra was not accused of wrongdoing and said he was unaware of the scheme.

Chad Bianco

Republican Bianco, 59, is the Riverside County sheriff. He gained public attention for his vocal support of Proposition 36, known as the Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act. The voter-approved ballot initiative increased penalties for retail theft and possession of hard drugs. The California Rifle & Pistol Association Political Action Committee has endorsed him, along with several law enforcement officers, including El Dorado County Sheriff Jeff Leikauf and Placerville Police Chief Joe Wren. However, Trump-aligned influencer Laura Loomer has criticized him for not being MAGA enough. As governor, Bianco wants to cut taxes and loosen regulations, according to his campaign website.

Steve Hilton

Republican Hilton, 56, is a former Fox News host. He was endorsed by Pres. Donald Trump in April. Hilton previously worked in conservative politics in the United Kingdom as an adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron. In 2012, he moved to the Bay Area after his wife, a tech executive, got a job at Google. Last year, he published a book called “Califailure: Reversing the Ruin of America’s Worst-Run State.” His campaign has received financial support from conservative media magnate Rupert Murdoch, and he has also been endorsed by entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, a 2024 presidential candidate. The late political commentator Charlie Kirk was a vocal Hilton supporter before he was assassinated.

Matt Mahan

Democrat Mahan, 43, is the mayor of San Jose. He is known as a moderate and supported Proposition 36. As a mayor, he reduced homelessness by building tiny homes and proposed arresting those who repeatedly refuse to be placed in shelters. He has received millions in campaign donations from Silicon Valley elites. Mahan graduated from Harvard University and worked briefly as an English teacher before starting and selling several business ventures. He is a frequent Newsom critic. Unlike most Democrats in the race, Mahan has shied away from overtly attacking President Trump.

Katie Porter

Democrat Porter, 52, is a former U.S. representative for Orange County and teaches at UC Irvine School of Law. She was elected to the House amid the “blue wave” during the first Trump administration. She gained national attention for asking tough questions of corporate and tech executives at congressional hearings and using her signature whiteboard. She was considered a frontrunner for governor until last October, when she walked out on a TV interview and was caught berating a staff member over a Zoom call. Porter has since apologized, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has endorsed her.

Tom Steyer

Democrat Steyer, 68, is a billionaire investor and climate activist. He founded Farallon Capital, a hedge fund that manages billions in assets. In 2012, he sold his stake in the company and then started NextGen America, a liberal nonprofit that supports progressive issues. Steyer unsuccessfully ran for president in 2020. After that, he was an economic adviser to Gov. Newsom. In 2024, he published a New York Times best seller titled “Cheaper, Faster, Better: How We’ll Win the Climate War.” U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna and the California Nurses Association have endorsed him.

Tony Thurmond

Democrat Thurmond, 57, is the state superintendent of public instruction. His mother was a single parent who immigrated from Panama and died when he was 6. His extended family raised him. Thurmond became a social worker and was elected to serve on a school board, a city council and the State Assembly. He has openly supported the proposed billionaire’s tax in California and is the only candidate currently holding statewide office.

Antonio Villaraigosa

Democrat Villaraigosa, 73, is a former state assembly speaker who served as mayor of Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013. His best-known accomplishment as mayor was the “Subway to the Sea,” a public transit expansion project that he successfully funded. He also expanded the police force to more than 10,000 officers, which at that time was believed to be the largest size in the city’s history. Villaraigosa ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018.

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